One-piece case divider

ABSTRACT

An improved divider of corrugated board, paperboard or the like for insertion into a packing case, has a rectangular shape in flat blank form for minimum cutting waste, and a quasi-swastika or quasi-pinwheel form when in use-configuration for maximum compression strength and minimum of material.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,912,159

Danville Oct. 14, 1975 [5 0NE-PIECE CASE DIVIDER 3,318,507 5/1967 Gorzelany et al 229 42 x [75] Inventor: David R. Danville, Plainsboro, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Lever Brothers Company, New Primary Examiner-William I. Price York, NY. Assistant Eta'riziner--Steven M. Pollard [22] Filed: Sept. 18, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.: 507,167

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 229/42; 229/15; 217/8; g

2l7/3O An improved divider of corrugated board, paperboard [51] Int. Cl.*. B65D 5/48 or the like for insertion into a packing case, has a rect- [58] Field of Search 229/42, I5, 27, 28 R; angular shape in flat blank form for minimum cutting 217/7, 8, 23, 30, 31, 32, 33 waste, and a quasi-swastika or quasi-pinwheel form when in useconfiguration for maximum compression [56] References Cited strength and minimum of material.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,260,440 7/1966 Foley 229/l5 7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures 5 6 .D f F l l i 1 I I I a 6 e 1 a I I '2 I '2 A J I 6 V t I V W i /v i 0 I. i l I 4 I ,0 I f I l I l I? a P US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet1of5 3,912,159

F/GZZ U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 2 of5 3,912,159

U.S,. Patent Oct.14,1975 Sheet30f5 3,912,159

U.S.- Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 5 of5 3,912,159

FIGZIO ONE-PIECE CASE DIVIDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved divider or partition unit for a packing case. In view of the current shortage of paper and the like products, the invention offers a carton divider which is economical to manufacture, has a minimum of cutting waste, and has a high compression strength.

In comparison with the well-known slotted partition unit, the divider according to the present invention requires less board of the same grade to obtain the same dynamic compression performance, or provides superior performance with the same amount of board material of the same grade.

The corners formed by the intersections of the crossed slotted sheets of the slotted partition structure are not rigid and consequently the material tends to float out of position, causing problems in the machine drop-filling of articles into a packing case having this type of divider therein.

2. The Prior Art A variety of packing-case dividers are well known in the art. For example, the right-angled, criss-cross, slotfitted design is in popular use, despite certain disadvantages such as floating, or movement of parts of the divider, which presents a hindrance to machine packing operations, and a low compression strength relative to the amount of board used.

US. Pat. Nos. 2,778,522, 3,201,022, 3,260,440, 3,640,445, 3,626,494 are exemplary of the many patents disclosing packing case partitions or multicelled containers having specific advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been discovered that a divider, or partition unit, can be cut from a single piece of corrugated board, stiff paperboard or similar material with a minimum of material and capable of being folded to provide a divider having a plurality of intact corners, to provide a high compression strength as compared with that of the slotted partition structure.

The divider described herein may be die-cut or made on a printer-slotter to form a blank which is rectangular in shape. The term rectangular as used herein defines a right-angled quadrilateral having one pair of opposing sides longer than the other pair, or having all four sides equal in length to form a square. A bisecting axis, which may lie across either of the two lateral dimensions, is referred to herein as a linear longitudinal bisector, and for descriptive purposes is considered to divide the blank into two substantially half sections and to terminate at and through each transverse edge of the blank. The bisector comprises two linear noncontiguous terminally disposed slits at each end thereof, and an unsevered and intact interior portion separating the slits and serving as a hinge on which the blank may be folded along the bisector. The slits extend in opposite directions toward and through the opposite transverse edges of the blank.

The slits may be merely cuts in the divider board, or may be narrow channels severed from the board. Preferably the slits comprise mere cuts; since the wider the slit, the lower is the corresponding upper edge of the divider when in use-position, and the less is the support provided to the top of the packing case.

Score lines at right angles to the long longitudinal bisector are placed on each ofthe two half sections, suitably positioned as hereinafter described, to define panels as hereinafter described.

The function of the aforementioned hinge portion of the bisector is to serve as a connecting link between the two half sections, maintaining the two half sections in rigid longitudinal relationship, and in cooperation with the folded panels or vanes when the divider is in position in a packing case to prevent floating, or movement of portions of the divider. The divider is then in proper position when the articles, e.g., bottles, are drop-filled into the case. If desired, the hinge portion may be scored to facilitate folding.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a flat, one-piece divider blank fabricated as a single sheet of corrugated board, stiff paperboard, or the like, and having a minimum of material.

It is another object of the invention to provide a onepiece divider blank severed along about one-half or more of its mid-length and having score lines on which panels may be folded as single vanes in a quasi-swastika or quasi-pinwheel design.

The foregoing description will be set forth in greater detail for a better understanding of the invention, by reference to the following drawings and descriptive matter concerned therewith.

Referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the invention wherein one pair of opposite sides is longer than the other pair and bisector VW is disposed midway along the longer dimension. Hinged portion 1] is at the middle of bisector VW, the bisector being in length equal to the length of the longer dimension.

FIGS. 3, 5, 7 and 9 show non-limiting variations of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

' FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 illustrate plane views of the use-configurations of the dividers formed from the blanks shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. These configurations are quasi-swastika, or quasi-pinwheel, in shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Several embodiments of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 1 through 10. The blanks falling within the invention are quadrilateral with the four internal angles right angles, that is, the blanks are in the form of a rectangle, a term which includes a square. Because of the regular shape of the blank, cutting waste is minimized.

The above-described bisector VW may lie across the midline of either the shorter or the longer dimension of the blank. The length of the bisector and the length of the longitudinal dimension are the same.

The terminal slits V1 and IW mentioned hereinabove may be the same or different in length and when different, the ratio of the lengths of one to the other is from 0.4 to l to 2.5 to l. The sum of the combined lengths of the two slits is necessarily less than the length of the longitudinal dimension of the blank, and may range from about one-half to about forty-nine fiftieths (about to about 98 percent) of the longitudinal dimension.

Hinge portion I] of bisector VW may vary considerably in length, and may in length range from about onefiftieth to about one-half (about 2 to about 50 percent) of the length of the bisector.

The depth of the packing case into which the divider is to be inserted determines the length of transverse edges BT and PP, and the lateral dimensions of the packing case determine the length of the combined measurements of LM and IN (or GH plus JK), and in the other direction, the combined lengths of HI and NO (or AK plus JM).

In the dividers made in accordance with the present invention, panels a, c, e, and g are all equal in area and dimensions.

Three score lines in each half section are at right angles to the bisector, and extend transversely from the bisector to opposing longitudinal edges of the blank.

The three score lines define four panels in each halfsection, (1 a stationary panel having (A) a first longitudinal edge comprising the entire hinge portion and an edge of a part of one of the slits, (B) a second longitudinal edge coincident with a longitudinal edge of the half section, (C) a first tranverse edge positioned to terminate interiorly at a point coincident with one end of the hinge, and (D) a second transverse edge positioned to terminate interiorly at the slit abutting the other end of the hinge, (2) a terminally disposed first foldable panel hingedly connected to the aforementioned stationary panel at the first transverse edge thereof, (3) an interiorly disposed second foldable panel hingedly connected to the stationary panel at the second transverse edge thereof, and (4) a terminally disposed third panel hingedly connected to the aforementioned second foldable panel.

As the drawings show, the terminally disposed first foldable panel, the stationary panel, the interiorly disposed second foldable panel, and the terminally disposed third panel are in sequential relationship.

The foldable panels are capable of being rotated or swung away from the stationary panels to form vanes to produce a divider for a packing case.

The score lines, the slits, and the hinge portion of the bisector are essential elements of the blank, and cooperate to provide a divider of high compression strength.

The invention is not to be construed as limited to the relative dimensions illustrated in the drawings. It is within the purview of the invention to select each element of a desired blank in the manner as taught herein.

To construct a divider from the blank, it is necessary only to fold over the blank on bisector VW, forming two half sections, bringing stationary panels b and fin contact, or near-contact, relationship, all panels in each half section being in the same plane, and to rotate panels a, c, e, and g along their score lines out of the aforementioned plane to a position normal to stationary panels b and f, then to fold panels d and h along their score lines in a direction away from stationary panels b andf, and parallel thereto in spaced-apart relationship.

When constructed as described above, the divider comprises i. two stationary quadrilateral right-angled panels b andf, in offset and back-to-back relationship, having a common longitudinal edge portion over a distance measured by the length of hinge I], the areas of the panels b and fsubtended by the hinge portion being superimposed in double thickness,

ii. a terminally disposed first, and an interiorly disposed second, right-angled quadrilateral vane hingedly attached to opposite transverse edges of each of the aforementioned panels b and f, and extending normal thereto, the vanes being attached to one stationary panel in reverse order with respect to the attachment to the other stationary panel,

iii. a terminally positioned third right-angled quadrilateral vane hingedly attached to each of the aforemen tioned interiorly disposed vanes in longitudinal sequence with the aforementioned first vanes stationary panels, and second vanes, and positioned normal to the second vane and parallel to, and extending away from, the stationary panels.

The divider appears in plan view as a quasi-swastika or quasi-pinwheel configuration when in use-position.

When the blank is folded into the desired useconfiguration, the compression strength is dependent upon the number of intact corners, for the same grade and thickness of board. A packing case having inserted therein a divider of the present invention folded in useconfiguration has maximum compression strength when the distances between the four transversely disposed vanes are substantially equal.

The compression strength is determined in accordance with ASTM Method D-642, using a fixed platen and a platen speed of one-half inch per minute.

When in use-configuration the longitudinal edges 1K and JN of panels b and fremain in substantially the same position as in the fiat blank so that panels b and fare not folded away from the mid-portion, and are referred to as the stationary panels.

A divider prepared in accordance with the invention has four cells for receiving the articles to be packed. The relative sizes of the cells may vary. A suitable divider may have diagonally opposed cells each measuring about 3% inches in the direction of the bisector, the two remaining cells each measuring about 7 inches in the direction of the bisector, and all cells measuring about 6% inches in the transverse direction. A suitable board material is 200-pound C/B corrugated board, the facings of which have a weight of 92 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

Referring again to Flg. 1, VW is a longitudinal bisector midway between the two opposite edges BF and TP, and divides the rectangular blank BFPT into two half sections BFWV, and VWPT.

Two slits, measured by the lengths AJ and [G are linearly disposed along the opposing terminal portions of bisector VW, each slit starting interiorly of the blank at points I and J, and extending along the axis to and through opposite transverse edges PP and BT respectively. The sum of the combined lengths of the two slits is about nineteen-twentieths of the length of the longitudinal dimension, and the ratio of the lengths of the two slits is 1.5.

U is an unsevered intact portion of bisector VW disposed between the two above-described slits, and serves as a hinge portion for folding the two half sections of the blank together. in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the hinge portion [J is about one-twentieth, or about 5 percent, of the length of the longitudinal dimension.

Score lines CK, Dl, EH, MS, JR and NO define the edges on which panels a, c, d, e, g and h may be folded to provide the use-configuration of the divider. Panels b and fare stationary panels and are in overlapping relationship, the overlapping portion being measured by the length of the hinge portion lJ.

Score lines D! and JR terminate at the ends of hinge portion U. The aforesaid score lines define four panels in each half section, namely a stationary panel, and

three foldable panels. Described in terms of one of the half sections, ABFW, score line CK constitutes a fold line at which terminallydisposed first foldable panel a is hingedly connected to stationary panel b, score line DI in like manner is a fold line at which interiorly disposed second foldable panel c is hingedly connected to stationary panel b at the opposite edge thereof from edge CK connecting panel a, score line EH defines a terminally disposed third panel c. Lines CK, DI, NO, and JR are scored on the same face of the blank; lines EH and MS are scored on the reverse side.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment wherein the hinge portion I] is in length about one-tenth of the length of bisector VW an is displaced from the midportion thereof. One slit is shorter than the other, the length of the shorter slit being about one-fourth of the bisector length and the ratio of the length of the longer slit to that of the shorter slit is about 2.5.

FIG 5. shows an embodiment wherein the blank is square in shape. The hinge portion IJ is about one-third the length of bisector VW. Each slit is also one-third the length of the bisector, and the ratio of the lengths of the two slits is 1.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment wherein the blank is rectangular in shape, having one pair of parallel sides longer than the other pair. In this embodiment the shorter dimension is defined as the longtitudinal direction. As shown, FIG. 7 illustrates a hinge portion along bisector VW which is one-fourth the length of the bisector, and a pair of slits of unequal length, the shorter of which is one-fourth the length of the bisector, the ratio of the longer to the shorter length being 2 to 1.

FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 8 and show plane view respectively of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, when the dividers are in use-position and as they appear when inserted in a packing case. The hinge portion I] is formed from two thicknesses of board material when the divider is folded upon itself, a step incident to placing the panels in use-position.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an embodiment having optimum compression strength, i.e., distances K], .II, and IN are equal one to another.

Additionally, FIG. 10 illustrates in plane view a schematic representation of the position of six articles, such as bottles, in the cells formed by the hereinabove described divider.

FIG. 11 is an isometric general view ofa divider prepared in accordance with the instant invention.

Having described the invention, it will be understood that persons skilled in the art will envisage modifications not specifically disclosed but within the spirit thereof, and the invention is to be limted only within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A one-piece blank of rectangular shape adapted to be folded to form a divider for a packing case compris- 6 ing:

i. a longitudinal bisector comprising:

a. two linear non-contiguous terminally disposed slits, and

b. an unsevered interior portion separating said slits, and serving as a hinge on which said blank may be folded along said bisector,

ii. two half sections of said blank defined by said bisector,

iii. three score lines in each of said half sections at right angles to said bisector, and extending transversely from said bisector to opposing longitudinal edges of said blank,

iv. four panels defined by said three score lines, said panels comprising in each half section,

a. a stationary panel, having a first longitudinal edge comprising said hinge portion and an edge ofa part of one of said slits, a second longitudinal edge coincident with a longitudinal edge of said half section, a first transverse edge positioned to terminate at a point coincident with one end of said hinge, a second transverse edge positioned to terminate at said slit,

b. a terminally disposed first foldable panel hingedly connected to said stationary panel at said first transverse edge thereof,

c. an interiorly disposed second foldable panel hingedly connected to said stationary panel at said second transverse edge thereof,

d. a terminarlly disposed third panel hingedly connected to said second foldable panel, said terminally disposed first foldable panel, said stationary panel, said interiroly disposed second foldable panel, and said terminally disposed third panel being in sequential relationship, said score lines cooperating with said slits and said intact hinge portion of said bisecting axis to provide a divider of high compression strength.

2. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1' wherein the lengths of each of said two slits are equal.

3. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ratio of the length of one slit to the length of the other slit is within the range of 0.4:1 to 2.5:l.

4. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein said divider is rectangular in shape, having one set of parallel edges longer than the other set.

5. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein said divider is square in shape.

6. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein the length of said hinge portion is within the range of about one-fiftieth to about one-half the length of said divider.

7. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 6 wherein the length of said hinge portion is about onetenth of the length of said bisector. 

1. A one-piece blank of rectangular shape adapted to be folded to form a divider for a packing case comprising: i. a longitudinal bisector comprising: a. two linear non-contiguous terminally disposed slits, and b. an unsevered interior portion separating said slits, and serving as a hinge on which said blank may be folded along said bisector, ii. two half sections of said blank defined by said bisector, iii. three score lines in each of said half sections at right angles to said bisector, and extending transversely from said bisector to opposing longitudinal edges of said blank, iv. four panels defined by said three score lines, said panels comprising in each half section, a. a stationary panel, having a first longitudinal edge comprising said hinge portion and an edge of a part of one of said slits, a second longitudinal edge coincident with a longitudinal edge of said half section, a first transverse edge positioned to terminate at a point coincident with one end of said hinge, a second transverse edge positioned to terminate at said slit, b. a terminally disposed first foldable panel hingedly connected to said stationary panel at said first transverse edge thereof, c. an interiorly disposed second foldable panel hingedly connected to said stationary panel at said second transverse edge thereof, d. a terminarlly disposed third panel hingedly connected to said second foldable panel, said terminally disposed first foldable panel, said stationary panel, said interiroly disposed second foldable panel, and said terminally disposed third panel being in sequential relationship, said score lines cooperating with said slits and said intact hinge portion of said bisecting axis to provide a divider of high compression strength.
 2. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein the lengths of each of said two slits are equal.
 3. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ratio of the length of one slit to the length of the other slit is within the range of 0.4:1 to 2.5:1.
 4. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein said divider is rectangular in shape, having one set of parallel edges longer than the other set.
 5. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein said divider is square in shape.
 6. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 1 wherein the length of said hinge portion is within the range of about one-fiftieth to about one-half the length of said divider.
 7. A foldable divider in accordance with claim 6 wherein the length of said hinge portion is about one-tenth of the length of said bisector. 